The present invention relates broadly to fasteners in the nature of clothing fasteners and, more particularly, to an attachment device that may be attached to pliant material, such as fabric, and that can be used for releaseably attaching two pieces of pliant material together.
One common method of closing articles of clothing being worn is a button. Buttons, as commonly known, are small discs having channels extending through the body of the disk so that the button may be stitched to a piece of pliant material, such as fabric. As is also generally known, corresponding button holes are formed on opposing pieces of fabric so that the button may be passed laterally through the button hole and thereby retain the clothing in a closed condition.
Button failure typically occurs when the button disc breaks or the thread becomes loose or breaks. It is an inconvenient process to obtain a needle and thread, a new button, and stitch the button to the cloth. Often, the inconvenience is exacerbated by the immediate demands on the user of the clothing. The problem of replacing buttons, in lieu of resewing, has been addressed in the past by essentially taking a tie-tack structure and applying a conventional button to the outer surface of the tie tack. Such tie-tack style replacement buttons typically include a metal shaft and a metal, spring biased clasp for removable attachment to the shaft.
Such tie-tack type replacement button structures have several disadvantages. First, the tie tack type replacement buttons do not function as a button, but rather in the manner of a tie-tack, by first using the shaft to join two pieces of fabric together, then applying the clasp. Accordingly, the outer fabric portion must be first joined to the inner fabric portion and the shaft of the tie-tack structure, passed through the two fabric portions. The user must then, somehow, attach the clasp behind both fabric portions which would entail reaching into a shirt, for example, if the button were applied to the front of a shirt. If the button were to be applied to a shirt cuff, the shirt would likely have to be removed before the tie-tack type replacement button could be attached.
Secondly, the metal clasp in these tie-tack type arrangements often exposes the sharp tip of the shaft to the users skin, or fabric and even if the tip is not exposed, the metal clasp usually has sharp edges that can cut or irritate either the skin, the fabric or both.
Finally, these tie-tack type arrangements are often made from dissimilar materials which may include a plastic button with a metal shank and metal clasp. Such dissimilar materials add expense and difficulty to the manufacturing process.
This type of attachment arrangement is also present on devices which are not intended to attach clothing together, but rather to attach something to a piece of clothing, such as a name tag, military ribbon, badge, or the like. The above-described difficulties can also apply to such an attachment structure.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a replacement button or attachment device for attachment to one or more pieces of fabric that can be easily attached, easily manufactured, in the case of a button, can be operated in the manner of a conventional button.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an attachment device, which may be in the form of a replacement button, that may be easily attached to a piece of pliant material, such as a textile fabric and can be operated in the manner of a conventional button.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an attachment device, that may be in the form of a replacement button, and that may be easily molded from plastic thereby enhancing the ease of manufacturing such a device.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an attachment device, that may be in the form of a replacement button that presents no sharp edges to the user or the users clothing, and therefore is non-abrasive to the user or the user""s clothing.
To those ends, an attachment device for mounting on at least one piece of pliant material includes a carrier member having a carrier head formed with a first carrier surface and a second carrier surface disposed oppositely from the first carrier surface. A carrier shank extends outwardly from the second carrier surface with the carrier shank including a tapered end portion defining a piercing point. A joining region is provided that extends between the second carrier surface and the carrier shank, with the joining region including a curved portion having a predefined radius.
A receiver is provided for receiving the carrier shank and retaining the carrier member in a mated relationship with the receiver. The receiver includes a receiver head having a first receiver surface and a second receiver surface disposed oppositely from the first receiver surface. A receiver shank extends outwardly from the first receiver surface to define a distal end of the receiver shank. The receiver shank includes a receiving well formed therein with an access opening being defined at the distal end for gripping receipt of the carrier shank in the receiving well. The combination of the receiver shank length and the carrier shank length when the carrier and receiver are mated provide a predetermined spacing between the carrier head and the receiver head. The mated relationship is maintained by frictional contact between the carrier shank and the inner walls of the receiving well.
It is preferred that the receiver is formed with a joining region extending between the first surface of the receiver head and the receiver shank with the joining region including a curved portion having a predefined radius.
Preferably, the receiver head is formed as a generally circular member having opposing indentations formed therein to interrupt the curvature and facilitate manual gripping of the receiver. It is further preferred that the receiver head be formed with a domed surface. Preferably, the domed surface of the receiver head includes opposing indentations formed therein to facilitate manual gripping of the receiver.
It is preferred that the carrier head is formed with a domed surface. It is also preferred that the carrier head be formed with at least one channel extending therethrough. Preferably, the attachment device further preferably includes an ornamental member attached to the carrier head with the ornamental member having a decorative surface and a mating surface and at least one mating shank projecting from the mating surface for receipt in the at least one channel for facilitating attachment of the ornamental member of the carrier head. In another embodiment, the ornamental member includes a decorative surface and a mating surface with the mating surface extending beyond the carrier head and including a flange for engagement of the carrier head to facilitate attachment of the ornamental member to the carrier head.
Preferably, an ornamental member is attached to the carrier head with an ornamental member being formed to resemble a button. Alternatively, the carrier head may be formed to resemble a button. In another alternate embodiment, the carrier head includes an indicia carrying surface. Alternately, the ornamental member attached to the carrier head may include an indicia carrying surface.
The present invention may further include a second carrier shank projecting from the second carrier surface and the second receiver for mating with the second carrier shank. The second receiver shank includes a receiving well formed therein with an access opening being defined at the distal end for gripping receipt of the second carrier shank in the receiving well. The combination of the second receiver shank length and the carrier shank length when the carrier and receivers are mated provide a predetermined spacing between the carrier head and the receiver head.
The present invention may also be in the form of a replacement button device for a joining at least two pieces of pliant material. The replacement button device preferably includes a button member having a button head formed with a first button surface, the first button surface being configured to resemble a button; and a second button surface disposed oppositely from the first button surface. A button member shank is provided and extends outwardly from the second button surface. The button member shank includes a tapered end portion providing a piercing point. A joining region is provided and extends between the second button surface and the button member shank with the joining region including a curved portion having a predefined radius. A receiver is provided for receiving the button member shank and retaining the button member in a mated relationship with the receiver. The receiver includes a receiver head having a first receiver surface and a second receiver surface disposed oppositely from the first receiver surface. A receiver shank extends outwardly from the first receiver surface to define a distal end of the receiver shank. The receiver shank includes a receiving well formed therein with an access opening being defined at the distal end for gripping receipt of the button member shank in the receiving well. The combination of the receiver shank length and the button member shank length when the carrier and receiver are mated provide a predetermined spacing between the carrier head and the receiver head
Preferably, the receiver is formed with a joining region extending between the first surface of the receiver head and the receiver shank with the joining region including a curved portion having a predefined radius. It is further preferred that the receiver head be formed as a generally circular member having opposing indentations formed therein to interrupt the curvature and facilitate manual gripping of the receiver. Preferably, the receiver is formed with a domed surface. The domed surface may include opposing indentations formed therein to facilitate manual gripping of the receiver.
Another embodiment of the present invention may be described as a replacement button device having interchangeable ornamental button members. To provide this, a replacement button device for adjoining at least two pieces of pliant material includes a button member having a button head formed with the first button surface and a second button surface disposed oppositely from the first button surface. A button member shank is included that extends outwardly from the second button surface with the button member shank including a tapered end portion defining a piercing point. A joining region is provided and extends between the second button surface and the button member shank, the joining region including a curved portion having a predefined radius.
A receiver is provided for receiving the button member shank and retaining the button member in a mated relationship with the receiver. The receiver includes a receiver head having a first receiver surface and a second receiver surface disposed oppositely from the first receiver surface. A receiver shank extends outwardly from the first receiver surface to define a distal end of the receiver shank. The receiver shank includes a receiving well formed therein with an access opening being defined at the distal end for gripping receipt of the button member shank in the receiving well. The combination of the receiver shank length and the carrier shank length when the carrier and receiver are mated provide a predetermined spacing between the carrier head and the receiver head. Preferably, the receiver is formed with a joining region, extending between the first surface of the receiver head and the receiver shank. The joining region includes a curved portion having a predefined radius. Preferably, the receiver head is formed as a generally circular member having opposing indentations formed therein to facilitate manual gripping of the receiver. It is further preferred that the receiver head be formed with a domed surface. Further, the domed surface may include opposing indentations formed therein to interrupt the curvature and facilitate manual gripping of the receiver.
Preferably, the button member head is formed with a domed surface. The button member head may also be formed with at least one channel extended therethrough.
The present invention further preferably includes an ornamental button member configured to resemble a button attached to the button head, the ornamental button member having a presentation surface and a mating surface. At least one mating shank projects from the mating surface for receipt in the at least one channel for facilitating attachment of the ornamental button member to the button head. Optionally, the mating surface may extend beyond the button head and include a flange for engagement of the button head to facilitate attachment of the ornamental button member to the button head.
By the above, the present invention provides a replacement button device or attachment device that is easy to manufacture and may be easily attached to a pliant material, such as fabric. The present invention also provides the ability to function like a button in that the device can be attached to a first material portion and used in the manner of a button to attach a second material portion to the first, with the second material portion having a button hole.